Doll on a Music Box

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"Doll on a Music Box" is a song originally from the 1968 musical film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang . It was subsequently performed in the 2002/2005 stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as well. It is both a musical and lyrical counterpoint to the more free flowing, legato song, "Truly Scrumptious". In the song, Truly is disguised as a wind up music box doll, metaphorically and actually on a pedestal. In the song, Truly sings about herself and her rigid nature, all behind the mask of the "doll" she is portraying. In the motion picture the part of Truly was played by actress Sally Ann Howes. In the stage musical version, the part was re-created by 19-year-old London actress, Emma Williams. In 2005, the Broadway "Truly" was portrayed by actress Erin Dilly, who was nominated for a Tony Award that year for the role.

Musical film film genre

Musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing.

In music performance and notation, legato indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note with no intervening silence. Legato technique is required for slurred performance, but unlike slurring, legato does not forbid rearticulation.

Truly Scrumptious is a song composed for the 1968 motion picture Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and later performed in its 2002/2005 stage adaptation. The song was written by Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman. It is about the lead female character, Truly.

Contents

Visual metaphor

This sequence is a part of Caractacus's story, which he is telling to Truly and his children. In the song, Caractacus plays a rag doll, too flexible for his own good; whereas, Truly plays a precious, too-cutesy doll that is too rigid for her own good. Twice during the counterpoint, the rag doll approaches the doll, only to be slapped in the face. This mirrors the earlier story where Caractacus's first two interactions with Truly are mistimed as well. The rag doll keeps trying, when suddenly he captures his own reflection and realizes how foolish he appears. It is only when Truly momentarily breaks character and shoves him slightly into the mirror to get his attention that he returns to his character. The rag doll properly courts the doll and is about to kiss the doll's hand, when she retracts her hand from him just in time. Rigidity wins out. Only at the end of the movie do Caractacus and Truly truly see eye to eye.

Rag doll doll with a stuffed cloth body and head

A rag doll is a children's toy. It is a cloth figure, a doll traditionally home-made from spare scraps of material. They are one of the oldest children's toys in existence. Today, many rag dolls are commercially produced to simulate the features of the original home-made dolls, such as simple features, soft cloth bodies, and patchwork clothing.

Songwriters

The song was written by Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman.

Trivia

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Johnny Depp American actor, film producer, and musician

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Jerry Lewis American comedian, actor, film producer, writer and film director

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Wardrobe

Truly Scrumptious sports a dirndl in this sequence consisting of a forest green satin bodice (trimmed in black velvet and accented with stitched crisscrossed red ribbon straps down the front and gold buttons), white blouse (the sleeves are double puffed done in delicate white silk satin; there are three yellow ribbons stitched to the sleeves for added detail; the collar is also trimmed in lace), full, printed (in the shape of gold diamonds) cotton red skirt (a tea length petticoat) and white, cotton apron (with a German inspired floral motif). Truly also wore white tights and black pumps (with a silver buckle near the toe area) with a Tyrolean hairstyle incorporating both pigtails and braids.

Dirndl traditional dress worn in Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and South Tyrol

A dirndl is the name of a traditional feminine dress worn in Austria, Altbayern, and Südtirol. It is a type of Tracht which is based on traditional clothing of Alps peasants. Dresses that are loosely based on the dirndl are known as Landhausmode.

Satin Smooth, lustrous fabric, usually of silk or synthetic fiber, woven with a long-float satin binding in warp or weft

Satin is a weave that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back, one of three fundamental types of textile weaves along with plain weave and twill. The satin weave is characterized by four or more fill or weft yarns floating over a warp yarn, four warp yarns floating over a single weft yarn. Floats are missed interfacings, for example where the warp yarn lies on top of the weft in a warp-faced satin. These floats explain the high luster and even sheen, as unlike in other weaves, the light reflecting is not scattered as much by the fibres. Satin is usually a warp-faced weaving technique in which warp yarns are "floated" over weft yarns, although there are also weft-faced satins. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, polyester or nylon, the corresponding fabric is termed a satin, although some definitions insist that the fabric be made from silk. If the yarns used are short-staple yarns such as cotton, the fabric formed is considered a sateen.

Bodice type of clothing for women and girls, traditional tight-fitting sleeveless garment for the torso and bust; later, the portion of a dress that covers the upper body

A bodice is an article of clothing for women and girls, covering the body from the neck to the waist. In modern usage it typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the upper portion of a modern dress to distinguish it from the skirt and sleeves. The term comes from pair of bodies.

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References

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